JAY-Z Dedicates “The Story Of O.J.” To Colin Kaepernick and Dick Gregory At The Meadows Festival

Jay-Z closed out The Meadows Music and Arts Festival in New York City with a banger of a set, performing throwback hits like “Big Pimpin” all the way to hits like “Bam” from his recently released album 4:44. But one song in particular stood out from the rest.

Hov dedicated his song “The Story Of O.J.” to football player/activist Colin Kaepernick and late comedian/activist Dick Gregory during his 90 minute set. “I want to dedicate this song to Colin Kaepernick tonight,” Hov said. “I want to dedicate this to Dick Gregory. I want to dedicate this song to anyone that was held back and you overcame.”

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Many believe Kaepernick, who is currently a free agent in the NFL, is being blacklisted for refusing to stand during the National Anthem in protest of this country’s history of police brutality.

When 4:44 dropped this summer, Jay-Z explained in detail the motivation behind the song in one of his many TIDAL-exclusive footnotes. “We tend as black people — because we never had anything, which is understandable — we get to a place and we just think we separate ourselves from the culture,” he says “Like where O.J. will get to a space where he’s like, ‘I’m not black, I’m O.J.’ Like Tiger Woods will get to a space and think, ‘I’m above the culture.’ That same person when he’s playing golf and playing great, you’re protected, but when you’re not, they’re gonna put pictures of you drunk driving and embarrass you, and the world will eat you up and spit you out.”